1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to human propulsion systems that can be operated by the arms and or legs of an operator to provide a means of powering and controlling other mechanisms including exercise equipment, rehabilitation equipment, wheelchairs and vehicles.
2. Description of Prior Art
The embodiments disclosed enable the making and the using of a human powered vehicle that overcomes the undesirable characteristics of earlier recumbent vehicles.
The unsuitability of such a vehicle for individuals having impaired leg function is apparent. The provisions of the present embodiment to be powered by the operators arms and or legs enables the application of greater motive force and the ability to provide power while resting the operators arms or legs. Further, it is designed to compact and simple and versatile by offering multiple components that can be employed as a whole or alternatively so as to fit many different mechanisms designs.
Earlier vehicles have limited utility compared to the present embodiment. A variety of converter systems have been developed in the past for bicycles, tricycles, hand-cycles in various designs including recumbent style human powered vehicles etc. While most mainly employ only a traditional pedal crank drive commonly found on bicycles there are some that employ levers to be reciprocated for and aft either with ratchet systems that only propels the vehicle in one direction of the lever movement. Others arm lever systems have achieved the ability to propel their vehicle forward in both for and aft reciprocal movements through ratchet mechanisms and clutch and gear systems. There are even some vehicles that are propelled by hand and foot operation.
Liebert in U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,675 combines hand and foot operation in a versatile system that can incorporated into different embodiments that claims to allow an operator to propel on land, water and air. The invention relies on reciprocating movements of both hand and foot that are connected together and helmet to be worn that is linked to steering mechanism that activates by the movement of the operators head. Although very unique in design it has undesired limitation in that the arm and leg levers are linked together and does not allow the operator to use one or the other separately without removing his arms or legs from the corresponding levers further the head activated steering does not allow the operator to be able to look around without altering the path of the vehicle.
Bean in U.S. Pat. No. 6,572,129 combines hand and foot operation in a single embodiment that employs a conventional pedal assembly linked to the two arm lever assemblies by a spring loaded length of chain that wraps around a ratcheting free-wheel sprocket axially supported by the pedal assembly which only adds power on the reverse stroke of hand levers which is limited in means of efficiency. Further, although the pedal assembly can be utilized separate of the arm levers to propel the vehicle the same cannot be the for the arm levers, which activates the pedal assembly when utilized to propel the vehicle.
Bayne in U.S. Pat. No. 7,584,976 is a single lever operated trike design that propels the vehicle forward with both for and aft reciprocal movements of the arm lever. The converter system utilizes a plurality of chains and hubs supporting gears. The steering is activated through a cable system by rotating the arm lever left or right. Although unique in design it lacks in simplicity and compactness in design of the propulsion system and lacks the versatility to be employed into other vehicles and mechanisms, and the ability to incorporate the use of an operators legs.
Schaeffer in U.S. Pat. No. 6,715,780 B2 is human powered wheelchair system that combines at least one arm lever connect to a propulsion system that utilizing gears and clutches to convert the fore and aft movements of the arm lever into a unidirectional rotation linked to a shifting hub to be linked to a driven wheel. Although, it lacks the ability to utilized in anything other than a wheelchair and does not offer a method for steering other than the braking system. Further, it needs to utilize two of the propulsion systems and two gear boxes which can be expensive to produce and cumbersome in design.